Any baseball fans out there? There is an expression used to describe situations where/when teams produce runs, not by hitting huge homeruns, but rather, stringing many hits together, with walks and perhaps stolen bases to score runs. The term used to describe this situation is playing “Small Ball”. Yes, the big-time homerun blasts are fun to watch but often, playing “SMALL BALL” can be just as impactful, if not more, in allowing your favorite team to win the game.
Let’s bring this baseball analogy to the weight control field: It is fun and quite inspiring to lose a bunch of weight in a given week when you are on a weight loss journey. To get on the scale and see 3,4, 5 or more pounds come off in a week is exhilarating, fun and motivating. On the contrary, to see 1 pound or less be lost is sometimes deflating and anything but inspirational.
However, it has been my experience in treating patients for weight control that the people that shed the weight in a slower, steadier manner are more apt to keep the weight off than those people that lose a bunch of weight initially, and then start “relaxing” and the weight starts going right back on.
Playing “SMALL BALL” when it comes to the weight control arena is preferable to the “HOMERUN” (i.e. losing lots of weight initially) for the long term. Losing that one pound a week will cumulatively, over time, result in LOTS of weight loss that will be more likely to be sustainable.
In watching a baseball game, homeruns are much more fun to watch then stringing singles together to score runs. BUT, many teams wind up winning championships because they are adept at playing “SMALL BALL”. On the field of weight control, a similar situation exists.
My favorite baseball movie comedy: “Major League” starring Tom Berenger, Wesley Snipes and Renee Russo. Here is a song from the soundtrack..listen to the words: a very sweet song.
